GUEST BIO

Craig and Janet Parshall:
Lessons from Bunyon

By
The 700 Club

Raising children has never been easy, but lately it seems to be an even greater
challenge. Music, video games, and movies have filled the minds of children
and teens with violence and super-sexuality. Our society has steadily drifted
away from the idea of "one nation under God" and replaced it with hostility
toward expressions of Christian faith in the public arena. A large percentage
of teens in church don't know the core beliefs of Christianity, much less
believe them. Many kids believe faith shouldnt be allowed to cramp their
style when it comes to entertainment choices. "Thats no surprise in
our comfort-first society," says Janet, "but it can be disastrous for our
children."

Craig and Janet discovered a resource that can help parents prepare their
children for the future. "The Bible is the ultimate authority in raising our
children, a God-inspired road map," says Janet. "But there is a 'travel guide'
that gives us hints about pitfalls to avoid." When their children were young,
Craig and Janet began reading a childrens version of John Bunyans
The Pilgrims Progress. It quickly became a favorite in their
house. Although published in 1678, Pilgrims Progress has been
ranked as the second most-read book in history (next to the Bible). Craig
suggests reading a modern English version, since the original is written in
the prose of Bunyans day. Bunyan was a preacher in England who was imprisoned
for his faith. During his incarcerations, Bunyan pleaded with God in prayer.
His doubts, struggles, and victories took on allegorical lives of their own
through characters like Christian, Hopeful, Hypocrisy, and Danger. The idea
for his book was birthed.

Straight for the Gate

The most important responsibility a Christian parent has is to direct children
toward an eternal destiny. "We are called to instruct our young pilgrims about
the reality of sin, the pitfalls of the world, and the need to head straight
for the gate that leads to forgiveness and eternal life," says Craig.

The Parshalls say that their own children watched them carefully, wanting
to see if what they said aligned with what they did. All of the Parshall children
invited Jesus into their hearts in different ways at different times. Their
two daughters, Sarah and Rebekah, responded directly to Janet and Craigs
presentations of how to begin a relationship with God. Their older son, Samuel,
was led to the Lord by his sister. Their youngest, Joseph, listened to the
plan of salvation and wanted to think his choice over. (The next morning,
he walked into the kitchen and announced he was ready to accept Jesus into
his heart!)

Craig says that the No.1 transmitter of values today is Hollywood. "The entertainment
world is teaching our kids values," he says. When we look at the world our
children will face in the coming decade, with its physical dangers and cultural
traps, it would be easy to let fear overpower us. So how do we compete for
our kids when the world is screaming for their attention? Craig says parents
need to search out quality alternatives and then sit down and talk about the
choice the child is about to make. "Make it an open forum, not a forbidden
fruit," says Craig.

In the Parshall household, their approach had always been to turn their home
into a combination recreation center/coffee house/philosophy class for their
kids friends (to be a positive influence). "We didnt always know
the results of our efforts," says Janet. One teen at a class reunion told
their daughter Sarah how he had been affected by the late-night chats at the
Parshalls. Today, he is a Christian, married to a believer, and is "on fire"
for the Lord. Craig and Janet remind us that as parents, God equips us through
His Word and His Spirit to protect and direct our children for their journey
ahead.